Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Guatemala

Name: Guatemala
Address: GT

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,676 per month in Costa Rica vs $824 in Guatemala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,316 in Guatemala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,595 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,807 in Guatemala, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 103% higher than in Guatemala on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 23% above the global median, while Guatemala is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 ₡4,916

$8.02 Q 61.1

37.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 ₡25.1K

$49.31 Q 376

14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 ₡4,855

$7.72 Q 58.9

41.45%

Cappuccino

$4.48 ₡1,992

$3.52 Q 26.84

27.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,042

$1.43 Q 10.91

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡843

$1.07 Q 8.13

77.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,471

$3.30 Q 25.15

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₡1,975

$5.29 Q 40.35

-16.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ₡1,081

$2.12 Q 16.20

14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 ₡1,621

$3.22 Q 24.52

13.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,268

$2.07 Q 15.78

37.68%

Eggs

$4.15 ₡1,844

$2.51 Q 19.12

65.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₡4,504

$6.10 Q 46.50

66.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 ₡4,690

$9.99 Q 76.1

5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ₡6,136

$12.20 Q 93.0

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ₡2,278

$3.94 Q 30.03

29.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₡763

$1.97 Q 15.01

-12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,649

$4.32 Q 32.91

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,511

$1.65 Q 12.56

106.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,536

$1.90 Q 14.48

82.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 ₡1,384

$2.24 Q 17.06

38.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡509

$0.82 Q 6.22

39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,231

$1.21 Q 9.21

128.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 ₡2,429

$3.83 Q 29.19

42.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 ₡7,249

$8.40 Q 64.0

94.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₡1,196

$2.25 Q 17.18

19.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,480

$3.25 Q 24.74

2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡500

$2.01 Q 15.31

-44.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 ₡29.2K

$14.08 Q 107

366.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡971

$5.15 Q 39.22

-57.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 ₡922

$1.67 Q 12.73

23.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ₡4,181

$10.30 Q 78.5

-8.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡692

$1.26 Q 9.61

23.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.9K ₡15.1M

$21.5K Q 163.7K

58.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.4K ₡16.6M

$24.4K Q 186.3K

53.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.4 ₡42.8K

$69.4 Q 529

38.86%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.48 ₡14.0K

$33.74 Q 257

-6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 ₡26.4K

$52.4 Q 399

13.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ₡29.3K

$41.74 Q 318

57.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 ₡9,978

$15.56 Q 119

44.28%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 ₡3,957

$6.64 Q 50.6

34.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$748 ₡332.4K

$357 Q 2,720

109.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$7,374 Q 56.2K

74.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 ₡34.2K

$43.94 Q 335

74.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 ₡25.2K

$49.83 Q 380

13.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₡59.2K

$100 Q 764

32.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$107 Q 819

-0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₡388.1K

$816 Q 6,220

7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₡288.9K

$508 Q 3,876

27.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 ₡790.8K

$1,615 Q 12.3K

10.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 ₡530.0K

$912 Q 6,953

30.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,452 ₡1.1M

$2,255 Q 17.2K

8.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,642 ₡729.8K

$1,147 Q 8,746

43.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 ₡470.5K

$649 Q 4,950

63.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

11.62

-17.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Costa Rica: September 13, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $833 in Costa Rica vs $176 in Guatemala. For reference, capital cities sit at $965 in San Jose and $836 in Guatemala City.

Average salary: $1,101 in Costa Rica vs $737 in Guatemala. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 373% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 15% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 1500% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 49% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Guatemala.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Costa Rica vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guatemala is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 129% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Guatemala, contributing to the overall 129% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Guatemala, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Guatemala is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.